TUESDAY at CARDINAL COUPLE:-
Cards face Hoyas in YUM.-Last year's game..-
Exeter added to Canadian squad..-Baseball gets national attention..-Football signing party.
The University of Louisville womens basketball team rolls back into action Tuesday night against a tough Georgetown Hoya squad in the KFC YUM Center. Game time is 7 p.m. The game
has been designated "Ladies Night" and Breast Cancer Survivor Night. Fans are encouraged to
wear pink and breast cancer survivors are offered free admission to the contest.
Georgetown (17-5, 5-3) is led by sophomore sensation Sugar Rodgers. The quick as lightning guard averages 18.3 points a game and recently netted 30 points, including the game winner against WVU. Monica McNutt controls the paint action for the Hoyas and is good for 11.3 points a game. The Hoyas prefer the up-tempo, create out of the press and defensive pressure transition style of basketball...as do the Lady Cards...so there is a distinct possibility the scoreboard operator could be kept pretty busy tonight.
Louisville (14-8, 5-3) enters the contest after an 11 point win over Rutgers in the YUM on Saturday night. Monique Reid leads the Cards with 16.3 points a game and Shoni Schimmel...who was named BIG EAST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK for her efforts against Marquette and Rutgers...is at a 16 point per game scoring clip.
Louisville will need a defensive effort that mirrors the one produced against Rutgers if they hope to gain their 6th BIG EAST win. They'll also need a better outing from 3 point range than they assembled against Rutgers. Given the probable breakneck, up and down the court game on tap for the Cards...we figure Louisville head coach may need to dip into the bench a little heavier than normal and productive efforts from freshmen Antonita Slaughter, Charmaine Tay and Sherrone Vails...plus quality minutes out of Asia Taylor...could be the difference in this one.
.
************************************************************************************
.
Last year, Louisville travelled to D.C. and lost to the Hoyas 60-56. It wasn't the game that made the news wires and sports shows, though. About an hour before tipoff, the Cards entered the arena, ran a customary lap around the court and encountered jeering from the Georgetown team. Then, Keisha Hines was tripped by a Georgetown player and a melee ensued. Since the referees had not taken the court yet, no technicals or game suspensions were declared at that point. The teams were eventually separated with no further incidents. A camera crew on hand to televise the game caught the scuffle, though...and the tape was sent to the conference commissioner at BIG EAST headquarters. Two Louisville players and three Hoyas received one game suspensions for the fight. Georgetown head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy described the incident:
"It's a BIG EAST game. Emotions are high. It got to a situation it shouldn't have gotten to. I don't know exactly what happened. I was doing a TV interview. I turned my head and saw it happening...both teams going at each other."
.
As for the game, Louisville and Georgetown both played pretty badly. The Cards had 33 turnovers and three players foul out. Still, they had a chance to tie it with four seconds remaining and an out of bounds possession under their basket. The inbounds pass skipped out of bounds, though...Georgetown regained possession and was fouled on their inbounds play. They sank two free throws for the final 60-56 margin. Let's hope tonight's game is a better effort and no fights break out...
.
***********************************************************************************
.
Louisville women's soccer star Christine Exeter has been playing with the Canadian National Team in the Yongchuan Cup events in China. The BIG EAST rookie of the year was part of a team that finished second in the four nation tournament. The United States won the event, China finished third and Sweden fourth. .
Exeter led the Cards with seven goals last year and is a native of Pickering, Ontario.
.
************************************************************************************
.
Dan McDonnell's Cardinal baseball squad has been ranked 22nd in a preseason poll by the Collegiate Baseball Writers. They also were placed 20th. by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and #21 by USA Today/ESPN's preseason poll. Louisville will open their 2011 schedule at the BIG EAST/BIG TEN challenge in St.Petersburg, Florida on Feb. 18th. The Cards home opener is scheduled for Feb. 25th. with a three game series against Toledo at Jim Patterson Stadium.
CARDINAL COUPLE will have an exclusive Q&A interview with Louisville head womens softball coach Sandy Pearsall in our Thursday edition. For all the details on the Softball Cards 2011 campaign...be sure to check back in Thursday. Sandy's squad has been voted to finish 3rd in the BIG EAST by the BIG EAST coaches. WE think they'll do better than that.
.
************************************************************************************
.
Finally, football activities for those missing the discussions about cornerbacks and offensive attacks. Not a game, mind you...but a Football Signing Day Party Wednesday, Feb. 2nd. at the Parrish House. Louisville Sports Report is throwing the bash and doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Admission is $1 and beverages will be available for purchase. Join Howie Lindsey, Jack Coffee and a bunch of football fanatics for all the signing news and the fun. If you're lucky, you'll also get to meet CARDINAL COUPLE'S Paul, too...who will be tending bar at the event.
.
